Defeathering compound



atented Jan. 3, 1939 UNITED. STATES PATENT mesne assignments, to Charles V.

Independence, Iowa No Drawing. Application January 8, 1937, Se-

rial No. 119,624.

9 (Harms.

This invention relates to defeathering of poultry and has for its object to provide a material and a process for preparing the poultry for defeathering which is practicable and free of the objections possessed by prior suggestions.

It has long been appreciated that feathers and hair could be easily removed from poultry if a proper material could be provided. Many materials have been tried out. Some of them contain products which aiiect the taste or odor of the skin of the birds and are objectionable for that reason. Others require such high melting temperature that the skin is damaged during application.

In view of the'difliculty of the work to be done and the vital importance that thecarcass shall not be damaged in any way either bybreaking or tearing the skin, by discoloration, or by adding a disgreeable odor, the trade has beenslow to adopt what looks like a simple method of defeathering.

The composition should be capable of being eifectively applied at a temperature which will not damage the carcass. It should readily penetrate through the feathers and form a firm coat-- ing without adhering too strongly to the skin.

The coating should be flexible and yet stick tightly to the feathers and hair. Above all else the material must not discolor the skin or add a disagreeable odor or flavor.

It is also highly desirable that the compmltion have a boiling point above 212 F. so that any water absorbed from the feathers can be driven ofi during the remelting of the material without boiling the composition.

Ordinary paraflins have insufilcient strength and cohesive force. Rosin, pitch and aromatic gums are highly objectionable on account of the flavor or odor which they may produce or impart when applied to the carcass of a bird.

Under the present invention these objections have been overcome and a satisfactory material discovered for coating .the skin and feathers so that by removing the, coating the feathers come off with ease without the skin being objectionably discolored or weakened or possessed of a disagreeable taste or odor.

Specifically this defeathering material includes about by weight of apurified or specially refined parafiin wax having a designated melting point of F. but which is actually found to have a melting point of. about 122 F. In order to enhance the rubbery and tacky nature of this .material, about 20% by weight of Russian ozokerite, grade B, or its equivalent and having a Renewed April 1, 1938 melting point of about 185 F. to 169 F. is mixed with the 80% of refined parafiln wax. This material is known as a type of natural parafiin and it gives to the mixture with the more common parafiin the desired characteristics for use as a 5 defeathering material. The melting point of the mixture or resultant product lg. about F.

In practice some of the large feathers which are easily removed may be plucked by hand if desired, though such is not thought necessary. 19 The carcass usually while still warm is then sprayed with or dipped in a bath of the liquid material at a temperature of about 130 F. and then cooled. It should not be left in the bath any longer than necessary to impregnate the 15 feathers. It isusually sumcient to merely dip the carcass in the bath and immediately remove it. Preferably the temperature of the material should not be lower than 129 F. Experience has shown that if the temperature of the material is co much above 130 F. the skin is likely to become darkened after hanging a while, whereas this danger of darkening may be eliminated by keeping the temperature from rising much above I 130 F. 25

At this temperature and with this material the carcass is covered with thercoating material and enough penetrates the feathers to satisfactorily coat the skin sufficiently for the intended purpose.

If the coating material is of too low a melting point it is likely to be too soft to adhere to the feathers and hair.

If the melting point is too high the skin and flesh are likely to be damaged.

For the best general results I have found that the melting point of the composition should be between 125 F. and F. A

After the coating operation the feathers are easily removed with the coating material, such 40 removal being preferably manual rather than by machine although machine operation may be used. The feathers and the wax with which they are coated may be then heated to melt the wax 45 and drive ofi any water that may have been absorbed from the feathers. If the boiling point is below 212 F. it would be difilcult to drive oii the moisture which is sometimes absorbed from the feathers. v 5

After the coating has been remelted the feathers may be strained out and the wax used over and over again.

It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific composition described 86 3. A defeath'ering composition comprising a mixture of parafllns and having a melting point of approximately 130 F. and free of rosin.

4. A defeathering composition comprising an odorless and non-staining waxy material having a melting point between 125 F. and 135 F. and highly adhesive and flexible at normal atmospheric temperature and free from odor imparting and flavor imparting ingredients, said composition including a mixture of parafflns having high and low individual melting points.

5. A defeathering composition comprising a mixture having a melting point of about 130 F. and composed of paraflln having a melting point of about 122 F. and paraffin having a melting point of about 167 F.

6. A defeathering compound adapted to be applied hot and including about 80% paraflin having a melting point oi! about 122 F. and about 20% of Russian ozokerite having a melting point of about 167 F. whereby the mixture melts at about 130 F.

7. A deieathering composition containing paraflin and ozokerite in the proportion of about 4 to 1 and free of odor, flavor and color imparting characteristics and having a melting point of about 130 F. and a boiling point above 212 F.

8. A defeathering compound containing a paraflln of low melting point and a paraflln of a naturally higher melting point and tree of odor, stain and flavor imparting substances, the compound having a melting point high enough to permit liquid application at normal atmospheric temperature but too low to damage the skin of poultry and having a boiling point substantially above the boiling point 01 water. I

9. A defeathering composition containing a mixture of a number of parafflns'and having a melting point of approximately 130 F. and a boiling point sufllciently above the boiling point of water to permit water to be boiled off without boiling the composition.

HARRY W. DIPPEL. 

